puzzle
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Related to puzzle: riddles
puz·zle
(pŭz′əl)n.
1. Something, such as a game, toy, or problem, that requires ingenuity and often persistence in solving or assembling.
2. Something that baffles or confuses; an enigma: the puzzle of the author's true identity.
3. The condition of being perplexed; bewilderment: I'm really in a puzzle over how this happened.
v. puz·zled, puz·zling, puz·zles
v.tr.
1. To baffle or confuse mentally by presenting or being a difficult problem or matter. See Synonyms at perplex.
2. To clarify or solve (something confusing) by reasoning or study: He puzzled out the significance of the statement.
v.intr.
1. To be perplexed.
2. To ponder over a problem in an effort to solve or understand it.
[Origin unknown.]
puz′zler n.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
puzzle
(ˈpʌzəl)vb
1. to perplex or be perplexed
2. (foll by: over) to attempt the solution (of); ponder (about): he puzzled over her absence.
3. (usually foll by: out) to solve by mental effort: he puzzled out the meaning of the inscription.
n
4. a person or thing that puzzles
5. a problem that cannot be easily or readily solved
6. the state or condition of being puzzled
7. (Games, other than specified) a toy, game, or question presenting a problem that requires skill or ingenuity for its solution. See jigsaw puzzle, Chinese puzzle
[C16: of unknown origin]
ˈpuzzling adj
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
puz•zle
(ˈpʌz əl)n., v. -zled, -zling. n.
1. a toy, problem, or other contrivance designed to amuse by presenting difficulties to be solved by ingenuity or patient effort.
2. a puzzling question, matter, or person.
3. a puzzled or perplexed condition.
v.t. 4. to mystify; confuse; baffle.
5. to exercise (oneself, one's brain, etc.) over some problem or matter.
v.i. 6. to ponder over some perplexing problem or matter.
7. puzzle out, to solve by careful study or effort.
[1585–95; orig. uncertain]
puz′zled•ly, adv.
puz′zle•ment, n.
puz′zler, n.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
puzzle
- rebus - A puzzle in which one must decode a message consisting of pictures representing syllables and words.
- puzzle - Comes from Old French opposaile, "thing set before one," "bewildering thing"; as a verb, it first meant "be beset by difficulties."
- cabobble - To mystify, puzzle, or confuse.
- word search - A puzzle consisting of letters arranged in a grid which contains a number of hidden words written in various directions.
Farlex Trivia Dictionary. © 2012 Farlex, Inc. All rights reserved.
puzzle
Past participle: puzzled
Gerund: puzzling
| Imperative |
|---|
| puzzle |
| puzzle |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Noun | 1. |  puzzle - a particularly baffling problem that is said to have a correct solution; "he loved to solve chessmate puzzles"; "that's a real puzzler"problem - a question raised for consideration or solution; "our homework consisted of ten problems to solve" sudoku - a number puzzle in which the numbers 1 through 9 must be placed into a grid of cells so that each row or column contains only one of each number acrostic, word square - a puzzle where you fill a square grid with words reading the same down as across |
| 2. | puzzle - a game that tests your ingenuity Chinese puzzle - intricate or ingenious puzzle consisting of boxes within boxes game - the game equipment needed in order to play a particular game; "the child received several games for his birthday" jigsaw puzzle - a puzzle that requires you to reassemble a picture that has been mounted on a stiff base and cut into interlocking pieces tangram - a Chinese puzzle consisting of a square divided into seven pieces that must be arranged to match particular designs crossword, crossword puzzle - a puzzle in which words corresponding to numbered clues are to be found and written in to squares in the puzzle | |
| Verb | 1. |  puzzle - be a mystery or bewildering to; "This beats me!"; "Got me--I don't know the answer!"; "a vexing problem"; "This question really stuck me"bewilder, dumbfound, flummox, baffle, mystify, nonplus, perplex, stupefy, amaze, gravel, vex, pose, stick, beat, get befuddle, confound, confuse, discombobulate, fox, bedevil, fuddle, throw - be confusing or perplexing to; cause to be unable to think clearly; "These questions confuse even the experts"; "This question completely threw me"; "This question befuddled even the teacher" riddle - set a difficult problem or riddle; "riddle me a riddle" elude, escape - be incomprehensible to; escape understanding by; "What you are seeing in him eludes me" puzzle over - try to solve figure out, puzzle out, solve, lick, work out, work - find the solution to (a problem or question) or understand the meaning of; "did you solve the problem?"; "Work out your problems with the boss"; "this unpleasant situation isn't going to work itself out"; "did you get it?"; "Did you get my meaning?"; "He could not work the math problem" |
| 2. | puzzle - be uncertain about; think about without fully understanding or being able to decide; "We puzzled over her sudden departure" meditate, mull, mull over, muse, ponder, chew over, think over, excogitate, reflect, ruminate, speculate, contemplate - reflect deeply on a subject; "I mulled over the events of the afternoon"; "philosophers have speculated on the question of God for thousands of years"; "The scientist must stop to observe and start to excogitate" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
puzzle
verb
noun
puzzle over something think about, study, wonder about, mull over, muse on, think hard about, ponder on, brood over, ask yourself about, cudgel or rack your brains puzzling over the complexities of Shakespeare's verse
puzzle something out solve, work out, figure out, unravel, see, get, crack, resolve, sort out, clear up, decipher, think through, suss (out) (slang), get the answer of, find the key to, crack the code of I stared at the symbols, trying to puzzle out their meaning.
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
puzzle
verbphrasal verb
puzzle outnoun
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
لُغْزلُغْز، اُحْجِيَهمُشْكِلَهيُرْبِك، يُحَيِّريُفَكِّرُ مَلِيَّا
hádankahlavolamlámat si hlavuzáhadazmást
gådegruble overpuslespilforundreforvirre
arvoitusaskarruttaapähkinäpulmatehtävä
zagonetkazbunitismesti
rejtvényfejtörést okozpuzzle
òraut; krossgáta; pússluspilráîgátavalda heilabrotum, ruglavelta fyrir sér
難問
난문제
dėstasgalvosūkiskibučiaistebintisunkiai suvokiamas
apmulsinātgrūts uzdevumslauzīt galvumīkla
križankasestavljankaugankazmesti
pussel
ปริศนา
vấn đề khó
puzzle
[ˈpʌzl]A. N
1. (= game, jigsaw) → rompecabezas m inv; (= crossword) → crucigrama m
C. VI to puzzle about or over → dar vueltas (en la cabeza) a
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
puzzle
[ˈpʌzəl] n
(also crossword puzzle) → grille f de mots croisés
vt [+ person] → dérouter, rendre perplexe
vi → se creuser la tête
to puzzle over sth → chercher à comprendre qchpuzzle book n → recueil m de casse-têtes
to puzzle over sth → chercher à comprendre qchpuzzle book n → recueil m de casse-têtes
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
puzzle
n
(= wordgame etc) → Rätsel nt; (= toy) → Geduldsspiel nt; (= jigsaw) → Puzzle(spiel) nt; books of puzzles or puzzle books for children → Rätselbücher pl → für Kinder
vt
(= baffle) → verblüffen; to be puzzled about something → sich über etw (acc) → im Unklaren sein; the authorities are puzzled → die Behörden stehen vor einem Rätsel
to puzzle something out → etw (her)austüfteln
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
puzzle
[ˈpʌzl]1. n
a. (game) → rompicapo; (word game) → rebus m inv; (crossword) → parole fpl incrociate, cruciverba m inv; (riddle) → indovinello; (jigsaw puzzle) → puzzle m inv
puzzle out vt + adv (problem) → risolvere; (mystery, person, attitude) → capire; (writing, instructions) → decifrare; (answer, solution) → trovare
I'm trying to puzzle out why → sto cercando di scoprire il perché
I'm trying to puzzle out why → sto cercando di scoprire il perché
puzzle over puzzle about vt + adv (sb's actions) → cercare di capire; (mystery, problem) → cercare di risolvere
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
puzzle
(ˈpazl) verb1. to perplex, baffle or bewilder. The question puzzled them; What puzzles me is how he got here so soon.
2. to think long and carefully about a problem etc. I puzzled over the sum for hours.
noun1. a problem that causes a lot of thought. Her behaviour was a puzzle to him.
2. a kind of game or toy to test one's thinking, knowledge or skill. a jig-saw puzzle; a crossword puzzle.
ˈpuzzling adjective difficult to understand. a puzzling remark.
puzzle out to solve (a problem etc).
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
puzzle
→ لُغْز hádanka gåde Rätsel γρίφος rompecabezas arvoitus énigme zagonetka puzzle 難問 난문제 puzzel puslespill łamigłówka charada головоломка pussel ปริศนา bilmece vấn đề khó 谜Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009